Rail car end construction

ABSTRACT

An end wall structure for railway passenger cars includes vertical end collision posts strenghtened at their lower end connections with the buffer sill and for a considerable distance thereabove for greater resistance to shearing, torque and bending loads of collision impact from adjacent vehicles applied along the longitudinal axis or at an angle on either side of the longitudinal axis up to about 15*.

United States Patent. [191 Bauer RAIL CAR END CONSTRUCTION [75] Inventor: Horace P. Bauer, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

[73] Assignee: The Budd Company, Troy, Mich.

[22] Filed: July 26, 1974 [21] Appl. No.2 492,363

[52] US. Cl 105/402; 105/421 [51] Int. Cl. B61D 17/06 [58] Field of Search 105/5, 6, 8 R, 392.5, 401, 105/402, 403, 410, 411, 421, 329 R; 293/63, 64, 75

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,080,163 12/1913 Pflager ..105/403 [451 Oct. 14, 1975 Primary Examine i'John J. Love [57] ABSTRACT An end wall structure for railway passenger cars includes vertical end collision posts strenghtened at their lower end connections with the buffer sill and for a considerable distance thereabove for greater resistance to shearing, torque and bending loads of collision impact from adjacent vehicles applied along the longitudinal axis or at an angle on either side of the longitudinal axis up to about 15.

4 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet1of7 3,911,833

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 2 of? 3,911,833

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet40f7 3,911,833

U.S. Patent Oct. 14,1975 Sheet50f7 3,911,833

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet60f7 3,911,833

US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 7 of 7 3,911,833

Fig-f4 llll'llll-llll' Fig-l6 RAIL CAR END CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND In train collisions there has been great damage caused by the underframe of one car riding up and striking the end wall of an adjacent car above the buffer sill to shear off or bend the end collision posts. Heretofore car design has been based on the assumption that collision impact loads would be applied directly along lines parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car, more precisely, along planes parallel to the central longitudinal vertical plane of the car and train as positioned on a straight track. This assumption entails the idea that both collision posts will be struck at the same time and together will be able to withstand the crash loadings without collapse.

Whatever may have been the design assumptions, the fact is that the end collision posts have not been provided with adequately strong shear-resistant connections with the buffer sill and have usually been of uniform size throughout their length and hence relatively subject to bending and base separation.

In studies of actual collision situations it has been found that simultaneous impact loading on both collision posts rarely occurs due to curved track locations, car buckling, or other factors. Consequently, there has been a need for collision post structures which would offer greater resistance to all collision impact loadings and especially to angularly applied loadings where one collision post has to take the total impact load before the other collision post is involved.

Operators of main line passenger cap equipment have established specifications for greater collision impact load capacity at collision post locations. For example, to achieve certain desired safety standards in case of collision, an end post should be designed to resist about 300,000 pound shear force at the floor and up to a point 18 inches above the floor. The shear force shall be assumed to be applied within of the longitudinal axis of the car envelope). End post attachment and the member or assembly the post is attached to must have sufficient strength to withstand the same forces.

The distance of 18 inches, or whatever the specified distance, will be referred to as the critical distance i above the floor or top of the end sill which is approximately at floor level.

It is an object of this invention to provide an im'- proved end wall construction for a railway car with high strength characteristics when angular collisions are encountered.

SYNOPSIS OF INVENTION The present invention provides collision posts which have stronger shear-resistant connections with the buffer sill than formerly; which lower-end anchorage lug reinforcements extending up for at least the critical distance; which are formed of front and rear portions with end panels between them; which have angular im pact faces at the outboard front sides to direct angular impact forces toward the center of gravity of the post section; which have lateral outrigger arms connected to the collision posts and to corner posts at an elevation above the buffer sill and floor at least as high as the critical distance to resist torque and bending loads applied at an angle to the longitudinal axis; and in which the end wall below the outrigger arms is reinforced to minimize buckling from imposed load components.

DRAWINGS The objects of the invention, as well as various advantages and features of novelty, will be apparent from the following specification and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating two cars colliding at an angle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation illustrating one end of a typical car;

FIG. 3 is a floor plan and section of the car end illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric end elevation view of the car illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of the car illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical longitudinal elevation and section illustrating many of the parts shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged horizontal section of a number of the parts illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 11 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 11- 11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a partial enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 12l2 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 13 is a partial enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 13-l3 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 14 is a partial enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 1414 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged vertical section of some of the parts illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 16 is a vertical section taken on the line 16l6 of FIG. 15;

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows in plan how two adjacent cars A and B might collide at an angle. The position shown represents an extreme situation. It can be understood with out an elevational view how the underframe of one car would override the underframe of the other car and impose collision impact loads at an angle on one collision post of the other car. Even if the angle of load application is not as great as that illustrated, 15 being set as a practical limit except for very unusual conditions which cannot readily be anticipated, it is very likely that one collision post will be obligated to take the total collision impact load before the other collision post is involved.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the end of a typical main line passenger car 10 having an end wall 11, vestibule 12, side doors 13, an end wall passage door 14, truck wheels 15, coupler 16, collision posts 17, and diaphragm 18. The collision posts shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are of a usual type secured at their lower ends to a buffer sill, not illustrated in detail, secured at one or more points along their length to the end wall of the car, and secured at the top to the roof frame of the car. The usual collision posts, so far as known, are of uniform size and strength throughout their length, not braced laterally, and not adapted to take loads of the magnitude and direction sought to be sustained by present invention. The diaphragm 18 is indicated to be of flexible tubular material but the character of the diaphragm is not materially involved in the present invention.

FIGS. 4-16 illustrate various details relating to the improved construction provided by the present invention.

Below the front end of the vestibule floor at the open ing for the end passage door there is a buffer sill 20 (FIG. 4) which is strongly secured to the draft sill as sembly of the car underframe. It is not necessary to show the underframe or draft sill connection since this is a usual arrangement known to those skilled in the art and only incidentally related to the present invention.

To the buffer sill 20 at each side of the end passage door opening there is secured, as by welding, a strong rigid upstanding lug or anchor member 21 (FIGS. 5 and 6) which extends upward for a considerable distance above what has been characterized as the critical distance of about 18 inches above the top of the buffer sill. The top of the buffer sill corresponds approximately with the floor level of the vestibule. The lug or anchor member is shown as a thick longitudinally or axially wide plate and preferably is made of a strong steel alloy.

To the front edge of the lug or anchor member 21 there is secured, as be welding, a thick transversely wide front lug or anchormember 22 (FIGS. 6, 7, 8) of the same type of strong alloy steel which extends upward to a point at least somewhat above the critical distance above the top of the buffer sill. The front lug member 22 is also welded to the buffer sill. The members 21 and 22 can be considered as a single lug or anchor weldment.

At the inner side, above level, floor leve, the front lug plate or anchor member 22 is provided with a widened side extension, as at 2211 (FIG. 6); and at the outer side, from near the lower end upward, the front lug plate member 22 is provided with a wider extension 22b (FIG. 6) which is inclined rearwardly at an angle toward the outer edge. The angle of bend here shown is about fifteen degrees to take angularly applied collision impact loads more directly. The angle is such as to direct angularly applied loads toward the center of gravity of the cross section of the collision post.

The longitudinal lug or anchor plate 21 is recessed on the front edge from a point 21a, above the critical height, to the lower end to receive the front lug or anchor plate 22. At the lower end the lug or anchor plate 21 is provided with a widened portion 21b to provide a more extensive and stronger connection with the buffer sill.

Collision posts 17.1 (FIGS. 4, 7) are provided which comprise front or forward portions and rear portions, end wall panels being secured between the front and rear portions of the collision posts. The front portion of each collision post comprises backfacing channel members 25, inner, and 26, outer (FIG. 6), of thick plate material, such as stainless steel, welded, as by plug welds PW, to the sides of the lug or anchor plate 21.

The inner channel member 25 is wrapped, as at 25a around the inner side extension 22a of the front plate 22 (FIG. 6). The outer channel member 26 is divided at the lower end, as at 26a, to receive the outer extension 22b of the front plate and to provide a wide front plate portion 26b.

A heavy chord plate 28 (FIGS. Sand 6), as of stainless steel, overlaps with the front flanges of the channel members 25 and 26 and all of the plates, including a front reinforcing outer chord plate 29 (FIG. 6), are joined together and to the front plate 22, as by plug welds PW. The front chord plate 28 extends up for the full length of the collision post; the outer chord plate 29 ends at a point 29a (FIG. 5) well above the critical height.

The front plate 28 at an elevation somewhat above the critical height is provided with a wide flange portion 28a and below with a narrower flange portion 28b which overlies the bent outboard extension 22b of the front plate 22, the entire flange portion 28a and 28b having an angular disposition to lie on the surface of the bent portion 22b of the front lug plate 22.

The rear collision post portions 30 (FIG. 6, 7) are secured to the rear sides of the front collision post portions, that is to flanges of the channel members 25, 26 and provide added strength, especially against bending.

The rear collision post portion 30 comprises backfacing channel members 31, 32 (FIG. 6) having their front flanges welded to the rear flanges of the front collision post channel members 25, 26. Rear chord plates 33, 34 (FIG. 6) are welded to the rear flanges of the channel members 31, 32 (FIG. 6), and end wall panel sheet 35 (FIG. 5) being welded between the rear flanges of the front collision post members 25, 26 and the front flanges of the rear post members 31, 32.

Plate 33, lying against the rear flanges of members 31, 32, extends from a point near the floor to a point near the upper end of the members 31, 32; the rear chord plate 34 (FIG. 5) extends from a point about 15 inches above the floor to a point above the top of the door opening. At the bottom the post members 31, 32 are provided with a rear base plate 30b secured to the floor, as by welding.

Channel-shaped door facing trim units 36, 37 (FIG. 5) are welded to the rear post members 30. As shown, the channel member unit assembly 36 on one side is laterally wider or deeper than the channel member unit 37 on the other side.

The rear post members 30 extend above the top of the door opening for a considerable distance, as into the ceiling of the vestibule, and are connected together and to the end wall at the top by a Z-shaped horizontal stiffening beam 38. The channel members 31, 32 of the rear post portions are connected together at the top by gusset plates 39 (FIG. 5).

The top of the door opening is defined by an open upwardly facing channel-shaped horizontal head member 30a welded to the channel members 31, 32 specifically being secured between the flanges of the inner members 31.

To the outer side of each collision post at the elevation of the wide flanges 28a, just above the critical height, there is secured a lateral outrigger arm 40 (FIG. 7) of tapered Z-section shape, the outer surface following the front angle of the outer side of the collision post, about 15.

The front flange 40a (FIG. 7)-of the outrigger arm at the inner end is welded to the flange 28a; the rear flange 40b (FIG. 7) is welded to the end wall shear panel and at the inner end to the collision post flanges. To the outer end of the outrigger arm there is secured,

as by welding, a bracket 42 (FIG. 8) which is welded in a flange to a reinforced Z-section comer post 41 (FIGS. 4, 5, 8, 15, 16). At the inner end the main web 41c of the arm is secured to the side of a front collision post by a welded-on angle bracket 43 (FIGS. 7, 8).

The end wall sheet 35 of the end shear panel is stiffened by sheet corrugations 45 (FIGS. 5, 9) welded thereto. At the outer side the end wall shear panel sheet 35 is welded to the corner post 41 and at the bottom is welded to a lower sill member 46.

At the upper end each collision post 17.1 (FIG. 4) is secured to the end wall of the car, specifically to a roof beam 47, by a welded-in bracket 48, the bracket serving as a spacer of the same thickness as the lug or anchor plate 21 between the lower ends of the channel members 25, 26 of the rear collision post portion.

As a reference, and without intended limitation, the following part sizes are mentioned. The lug or anchor plates 21 of alloy steel may be 1 /2 inches thick, 7%. inches wide above the buffer sill and 13 inches wide where welded to the end of the buffer sill; the collision post channel members 25, 26 of stainless steel may be 0.125 inches thick and about 8 inches wide in the web between flanges; the front'lug or anchor plate 22 of alloy steel may be about inches thick and about 6 inches wide just above the floor; the plate 28 of stainless steel may be about 0.2 inches thick and about 5% inches wide in the flange 28b; and the Z-shaped outrigger arm 40 of stainless steel may be about 0.125 inches thick, 8 inches web width at the inner end and 2 inches wide at the outer end, outer flange 4 inches and inner flange 2 inches wide.

In tests collision post made according to the present invention has withstood loads considerably higher than the 300,000 pound force of the specification requirements without failure.

The buffer sill has a medial front projection 49. There is a frame 50 below the buffer sill to support the coupler unit.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a strongly anchored collision post and end wall structure which is strengthened against shear, bending and torsion, especially at the lower end, which has an angled face at the outer side to take angular collision impact loads, and which has an outrigger arm and shear panel to transfer some of the loads into the comer post and underframe.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. End wall structure for railway passenger cars having an end wall with an end passage opening, end corner posts, and a buffer sill extending across the bottom of the end passage opening, comprising in combination therewith, a collision post secured to the buffer sill at each side of the end passage opening, and a lateral outrigger arm connected between each collision post and a comer post at a distance above the buffer sill, said lateral outrigger arm being located above the top of said buffer sill by a critical distance within which end frame collision impact of an adjacent car is likely to occur, and anchor reinforcing means for said collision post extending from the buffer sill to a height above said lateral outrigger arm.

2. End wall structure for railway passenger cars as set forth in claim 1, in which said reinforcing means includes a thick longitudinally wide anchor lug plate secured to the buffer sill and a thick transversely wide front anchor lug plate to said longitudinal anchor lug plate and to said buffer sill.

3. End wall structure for railway passenger cars as set forth in claim 2, in which said front plate has an outer portion inclined rearwardly at an angle at the outer side of the collision post to more directly take angularly applied collision impact loads.

4. End wall structure for railway passenger cars as set forth in claim 3, wherein the bent portion of the front plate makes an angle of about 15 to a transverse vertical plane which is normal to the central vertical axial plane of the car. 

1. End wall structure for railway passenger cars having an end wall with an end passage opening, end corner posts, and a buffer sill extending across the bottom of the end passage opening, comprising in combination therewith, a collision post secured to the buffer sill at each side of the end passage opening, and a lateral outrigger arm connected between each collision post and a corner post at a distance above the buffer sill, said lateral outrigger arm being located above the top of said buffer sill by a critical distance within which end frame collision impact of an adjacent car is likely to occur, and anchor reinforcing means for said collision post extending from the buffer sill to a height above said lateral outrigger arm.
 2. End wall structure for railway passenger cars as set forth in claim 1, in which said reinforcing means includes a thick longitudinally wide anchor lug plate secured to the buffer sill and a thick transversely wide front anchor lug plate to said longitudinal anchor lug plate and to said buffer sill.
 3. End wall structure for railway passenger cars as set forth in claim 2, in which said front plate has an outer portion inclined rearwardly at an angle at the outer side of the collision post to more directly take angularly applied collision impact loads.
 4. End wall structure for railway passenger cars as set forth in claim 3, wherein the bent portion of the front plate makes an angle of about 15* to a transverse vertical plane which is normal to the central vertical axial plane of the car. 